Cinematographic apparatus



Patented Dec. 15, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT CINEMATOGRAPHIC APPARATUSJohn F. Kienninger, Los Angeles, Calif., assigner to Technicolor MotionPicture Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Maine Claims.

In subjecting cinematographic film to liquid treatments there is atendency for liquid pelllcles to bridge the sprocket holes, therebygiving rise to subsequent dliliculties. For example, ii the pelliclesbreak while the film is drying they tend to spatter the picture areas ofthe film, and in any event they tend to clog the sprocket wheels overwhich the film is subsequently run. These tendencies are particularlypronounced in forming relief pictures by etching oft part of thegelatine, including all the gelatine from the edges of the lm to thecentral row ci' picture areas, because the pellicles often compriserelatively thick patches of gelatine which float oilr the film duringthe etching process. While most of the patches may be rinsed oil afteretching and before drying, some cling in the sprocket holes in the formof pellicles partly or completely bridging the holes.

Objects of the present invention are to avoid the aforesaid diiiicultiesby removing the pellicles in such a way that they do not damage thepicture areas.

For the purpose of illustration a typical embodiment of the invention isshown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus, including means foretching the film; and

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 oi Fig. 1.

The particular embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose ofillustration comprises etching means indicated generally by E andscrubbing means indicated generally by S. The etching means comprises atank l having series of rollers 2 at the top and bottom for guiding thenlm F through the tank along a zigzag .path in the direction indicatedby the arrows, together with nozzles at the top of the tank for ilowingwarm water downwardly along the vertical stretches of film in the tank.'Ihe particular nozzle arrangement shown in Fig. 1 comprises a manifold2' to which Water is supplied through the pipe 3 and a series of nozzlesl depending from the manifold 2 in alignment with the vertical stretchesof the nlm F, each of the nozzles 4 being provided with an opening inits lower end to permit the water to flow by gravity to the film. Inaddition to the aforesaid nozzles other nozzles 5 are located betweenthe rollers of each adjacent pair of rollers in the tank I, the nozzlesi being provided with outlets 6 directed laterally and downwardlyagainst the nlm on the rollers 2.

After the nlm leaves the etching means E it passes upwardly to thescrubbing means S which comprises a guide roller l, two scrubbingrollers 8 opposed to a nlm guide in the form of a backing roller 9,another guide roller i9, a rinsing tank il and another guide roller i2,a nozzle il being located immediately above the space between therollers 8 and 9 to direct a stream of rinse water downwardly along thenim as the margins of the illm are scrubbed by the rollers il. Thebacking roller 9 is preferably formed of Bakelite or other moldedmaterial mounted on bali bearings lil which are adjustably mounted onthe frame ifi through the medium of the eccentric i5. The rollers 8,which are preferably mounted on the same shaft IB, comprise two discs ilintegraily connected by a cylindrical portion it, each ci the discs Ilbeing recessed at its outer periphery to receive a sponge-rubber ring i9which serves brush. The sponge-rubber rings are held in their recessesby clamping rings 20 held in place by screws 2|. y

As shown in Fig. 2 the xponge-rubber ringe i9 are spaced apart adistance substantially equal to the distance between the two rows ofsprocket holes in the film F and the rubber rings are Wide enough toextend to the outer edge of the film.. The shaft IG is driven bysuitable means, not shown, to rotate the rollers t in a counterclockwise direction as indicated by the arrow in Fig. i, the frictionalengagement of the film with the backing roller 9 also rotating thisroller in a counterclockwise direction. Best results have been securedby advancing the nlm at the rate of approximately 36 feet per minute androtating the rollers 8 with a peripheral linear velocity ofapproximately 1275 l'eet per minute. The scrubbing action oi' thesponge-rubber rings I9 loosens and removes the gelatin from the marginsand sprocket holes of the lm and the rinsing jet it carries the loosenedgelatin away.

It is to be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose ofillustration only and that this invention includes all modiiications andequivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

i. In apparatus tor making motion pictures by etching oil a part of thegelatin with etching liquid to leave images in relief, involving a tendency for gelatinom peilicles .to bridge the sprocket holes, thecombination ci cleaning means for breaking said gelatincus pellicles outof the sprocket holes, said means acting upon the sprocket-hole zone ofthe film Without corre spending action on the picture zone, and meansfor rinsing away the gelatinous material cleaned out of the sprocketholes.

2. In apparatus for making motion pictures by a part of the gelatin withetching We images in relief, involving a tendlatinous pellicles tobridge the sprocke combination of means for scrubbing t-lnoles zone ofthe iilm without scrubture zone and means for rinsing .tinous materialscrubbed out of the .v ...i sw.

nparatus for making motion pictures by c, part oi the gelatin withetching a images in relief, involving a tendlnous pellicles to bridgethe sprockcombination of means for scrubbing elect-holes zone oi thefilm without scrub- -ieture zone and means for rinsing sway ons materialscrubbed out of the 5 haies, said scrubbing means comprising ma scrubberrotating about an axis W 'angevin of the nlm and engaging only n the111m.

part of the gelatin with etching o leave images in relief, involving atendtinous pellicles to bridge the sprockcembination oi means forscrubbing bing the picture zone and means for rinsing away thegelatinous material scrubbed out of the sprocket holes, said scrubbingmeans comprising a narrow rotary scrubber rotating about an axisextending edgewise o! the iilm and engaging only the margin o! the nim,and a roller on the side of the nlm opposite the scrubber for holdingthe nlm against the scrubber.

5. In apparatus for making motion picture nlm by etching oi! a part oithe gelatin with etching liquid to leave images in relief, involving atend-- ency for etched-oi! gelatinous peliicles to bridge the nlmperfor-ations, the combination or means for transporting the film, ascrubber mounted for rotary movement with its eiective surface engaging,and extending substantiallv only over the marginal zone including saidperiorations and adapted to loosen and remove the gelatin from theperiorations o! the i'ilm as positioned in said transport means, meansfor rotating saidscrubber to provide relative scrubbing movement betweensaid film engaging surface and the iiim moving in said transport means,and means for directing a rinsing jet towards said periorations forcarrying away the loosened gelatin.

JOHN F, KIENNINGER,

